There's nothing 'on television' right now. [=there are no programs that I would like to watch now]
I recognize your face. Are you 'on television'? [=do you appear in a television program?]
What is 'on the television' [='on TV', ('chiefly Brit') 'on (the) telly'] tonight?
(..) And no one could tell me where my family had disappeared to. And those who could wouldn't. But it was too late. You had left Mexico. When I saw you on the television, I wanted to get in touch with you so much. But I was sure that you wished me dead. How could you think that? (..)2007 Goal II: Living the Dream